Name: Baked Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus additional for serving); 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs (whole wheat if possible); 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, or chives a combo, plus additional for serving); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey (keep in your refrigerator until the last possible second); 1 large egg; 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus more as needed); Prepared pasta sauce; Cooked whole wheat pasta or zucchini noodles; Creamy Polenta; Split and toasted hoagie buns; Prepared brown rice

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There are nights when I want to feel adventurous in the kitchen, and then there are nights when I want my dinner to come up, give me a hug, and tell me that, yes, I am doing a good job. Those are the nights I make Baked Turkey Meatballs.

Fork-tender, filling, and layered with Italian spices and herbs, these healthy turkey meatballs want to be your mealtime cheerleader.

Baked Turkey Meatballs are easy to make and won’t make you hunt through the grocery store for ingredients—in fact, once you have your ground turkey and Parmesan in the fridge, you’re likely to already have everything else in your pantry—and the end result is so intrinsically satisfying, you’ll feel like a true dinner hero.

If you need a large quantity of turkey meatballs for a crowd, you can check out my Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs. For regular weeknight dinners, however, this Baked Turkey Meatball recipe is the one I turn to first.

The recipe yields about 20 meatballs, so it covers a few dinners for our leftover-loving household of two, or it feeds a small dinner group.

In addition to being quick and fuss-free to prepare, Baked Turkey Meatballs are fundamentally delicious. They offer that special, soul-touching comfort that belongs uniquely to Italian food.

How to Make Baked Turkey Meatballs

These Baked Turkey Meatballs have a few qualities that make them the kind of dinner recipe staple that you will always be grateful to have in your corner.

ONE: Simple Ingredients

Ground Turkey. While traditional meatball recipes usually call for a mix of different meats (sometimes up to 3!), this turkey meatball recipe keeps it straightforward with ground turkey only. Turkey is lean and mild.

Burned by bland (or, gasp!, dry) turkey meatballs in the past? Me too! That’s why I made sure we’d be adding plenty of other great flavors to make these turkey meatballs tender and tasty.

Italian Seasoned Bread crumbs. Along with an egg, you need bread crumbs in meatballs to bind the meat and to keep the meatballs moist. I like Italian seasoned ones because they build in extra flavor without any extra effort.

Those looking for turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs can check out my Whole30 Meatballs, which use almond flour instead. <—this meatball recipe is Paleo too.

Lazy Girl Basic Spices. Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, red pepper flakes. Because sometimes I am hungry and I want to eat meatballs…without having to grate an onion or mince garlic for them.
Parmesan. Because meatballs are better with cheese. It’s true. Parmesan also helps to ensure the meatballs are moist.

Annnnnd that’s pretty much it. This is basic at its very best, no apologies necessary.

Those looking for a meatball recipe with a more unique twist can check out my Cranberry Turkey Meatballs, Moroccan Meatballs, or Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.

Craving something in between? For turkey meatballs with spinach, swap turkey for the chicken in these Baked Chicken Meatballs.

TWO: Easy Meatball Cooking Method

Whereas most meatball recipes require that the meatballs be browned in a pan on the stove—undoubtedly delicious but also messy and a bit of a pain—this streamlined version skips the stove altogether.

Instead of browning the meatballs in oil on the stove, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (or parchment paper if you prefer) for easy cleanup.
Lightly brush the meatballs with olive oil. This will ensure they become nicely golden on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Bake the meatballs at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes for a 1 ½-inch meatball.
The turkey meatballs are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F and a meatball in the center of the baking sheet is fully cooked through when cut in half.

Save the stovetop method for when you’re looking to prepare a meatball recipe for a slow evening or special occasion (as with this Mozzarella Meatball Casserole).

For fast, less-fuss weeknights, baked meatballs are the move.

What to Serve with Meatballs

While the turkey meatballs bake, you can prep anything you’d like to serve with them.

Sauce. Good-quality store bought pasta sauce is one of my more adored pantry staples. You can warm the sauce in a small pot on the stove then spoon it over the cooked meatballs, or take our favorite approach: warm the sauce in a larger, wider pan, then toss the Baked Turkey Meatballs in the sauce at the end.
Pasta. Whole wheat dry pasta is perfect for healthy dinners. You can use any shape you like, though when we’re feeling ultra traditional, I like to do the Baked Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti.
Zucchini Noodles. A skinny option that sneaks in extra veggies. Try a blend of zoodles and spaghetti for a happy balance.
Hoagie Bun. Perfect for a meatball sub!

Writing this post made me realize just how many meatball recipes I have (most are now linked in this post), and honestly, I love them all for different reasons.

These Baked Turkey Meatballs are my keeper for when I’m craving simple comfort food that won’t lock me to my stove. I hope you love them too! As always, if you try this recipe, please leave a comment below. It means so much to hear from you.

Recommended Tools to Make Baked Turkey Meatballs

Scoop. For easy, uniform portioning. I use mine for cookie dough too!
Instant-read thermometer. The easiest, best way to see if the meatballs are cooked all the way through.
Rimmed baking sheet. I use these for everything, from meatballs to veggies to sheet pan suppers.

ReviewPrint

Baked Turkey Meatballs

4.95 from 75 votes

Baked Turkey Meatballs. Easy to make, tender, and absolutely delicious! Serve with spaghetti, buns, or over zucchini noodles.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: meatballs

ReviewPrint

Ingredients

For the Baked Turkey Meatballs:

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs whole wheat if possible
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs basil, parsley, or chives a combo, plus additional for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey keep in your refrigerator until the last possible second
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed

For serving:

Prepared pasta sauce
Cooked whole wheat pasta or zucchini noodles
Creamy Polenta
Split and toasted hoagie buns
Prepared brown rice

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cheese, bread crumbs, herbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir well to combine. Add the turkey. In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add it to the meat mixture. With a fork or your fingers, mix just until combined, being careful not to compact the meat.
With a scoop or spoon, scoop the meat and shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. You will have about 20 meatballs total. Brush the tops of the meatballs with the olive oil.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. As an alternate way to check, a meatball in the center of the baking sheet should be fully cooked through when cut in half.
While the meatballs cook, warm the sauce and any other items you’d like to serve them with (pasta, hoagie buns, 1rice, etc.). Serve the meatballs hot, topped with the sauce, cheese, herbs, and any other additions.

Notes

Adapted from my Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (either with or separately from the sauce). Rewarm gently with the sauce on the stove.
Cooked meatballs can be frozen baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. See detailed notes in the post above for a step-by-step.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatballCalories: 62kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 188mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 0.4mg

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Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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Baked Turkey Meatballs